What Happens in Vegas
by RochelleRene
Summary: House helps Wilson when he has a problem at a conference in Vegas; Oh, and some Huddy sex. ;   Rated M for smut.
1. Chapter 1

***Disclaimer: David Shore, please excuse the need to manipulate your characters. They are too damn interesting!***

CHAPTER 1

"What the hell were you thinking?" Cuddy asked, storming into House's office. House looked up from his reading and took off his glasses.

"Just now?" he asked, "Um, well, first I was thinking about this scleroderma article, then I was thinking I was hungry, then I was thinking you look hot when you're pissed off."

"House!" she hissed, "I just got this packet for _presenters_ at the American Teaching Hospitals conference…"

"Wow! That's great, Cuddy! Congratulations! What an honor!" House said enthusiastically, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair.

"It would be," she conceded, leaning towards him over his desk, "Except that I didn't submit a paper to the conference."

"Yes, you did," House corrected, stealing a glance down her shirt.

"No, I didn't," she countered. "_Someone_, a person who thinks he gets to go on a free vacation to Vegas if his girlfriend is presenting at a conference, submitted one of my papers for me."

"Sounds like a clever – and ruggedly handsome - fellow," House replied, smirking. Cuddy shot daggers at him with her eyes. "Come on, Cuddy. It'll be fun. You didn't have to do a thing or worry about getting in or not. It's like you won the lottery!"

"Except that I hadn't finished revising that paper," Cuddy replied, "I don't know if my mom is available to take care of Rachel that week," she continued, "And you had no right to do that without asking me" she concluded.

"You're right," he conceded, "It was totally disrespectful of me to think you wrote a great paper and deserved to get accolades for it. It will never happen again."

"Don't do that!" she scolded. "Don't make it seem like I am mad at you for being nice to me. You know you were motivated by the trip." House considered her point.

"Yes, it sounded fun, but I also could have cajoled you into submitting the paper yourself," he explained. "Instead, I saved you two weeks of obsessing about every word of it and I got to surprise you." Cuddy stared at him, thawing a bit. "You wrote a great paper that I knew would get in, Wilson's going to the conference too, so I came up with the plan. I thought you'd be excited."

Cuddy sighed, letting go of her anger a little. "I am excited," she admitted. "It's great that I got accepted, and it's good for the hospital."

"Plus," House added, "You get to go on a vacation with your boy-toy. I did you a favor, Cuddy."

"So I came in here pissed off and now I'm supposed to thank you?" she asked.

"You can stay pissed off," he replied. "Like I said, you look hot when you're pissed off."

"If my mom can't take Rachel, you're staying home and watching her for four days," she warned.

"Yeah," he replied, scoffing at her threat, "Like you'd leave Rachel with me for four days. You'd have a stroke in the airport!" She glared at him. "Face it, woman, I have nothing to lose by your going to a conference in Vegas. So be pissed off, but it's actually pretty bitchin'." Cuddy just stared at him, then turned to walk out. He'd stumped her – she was mad in principle, but actually excited by the outcome. "You're welcome!" he called after her.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Nice digs, Cuddy," House exclaimed, whistling as they walked into the hotel suite. "Aren't you glad you're presenting? All the people attending are probably unpacking in shoeboxes right now."

"Yeah, it's really nice," Cuddy agreed, wandering around the spacious rooms. She looked in the bathroom at the huge tub, the stacks of fluffy towels, and the double sinks. "Ha ha! Two sinks!" she exclaimed. "Now I can wash my face without you threatening to spit your toothpaste on my head."

"I'll still threaten that," House called to her. "It has nothing to do with sink space." Cuddy wandered back out and found House already stretched on one of the two beds, shoes kicked off, looking at the room service menu. She stretched out on her side next to him, sore and sleepy from the long day of traveling. House reached over and ran a hand along her hip and thigh while he read. "Oooh, Cuddy, they have French toast. You want French toast?" He knew it was her favorite.

"Hmm," Cuddy considered. "Did you want room service, or do you want to go out to a restaurant?" she asked him. House responded by rolling her onto her back and and leaning down to kiss her.

"I want to get naked, have sex in this bed, eat dinner naked, watch tv, have sex in the other bed, and fall asleep," he replied. "In any order."

"Well, aren't you the man with the plan?" she teased.

"I am, but you are my administrator, so you can set my priorities," he said, kissing down her neck. Cuddy sighed and laid her hands on his head, enjoying the warmth of his mouth on her skin. House's fingers were unbuttoning her shirt, running down her toned stomach. She sighed again, sinking into the soft bed. "Will you rub my back?" she asked. "I'm all sore from the plane."

"I will rub anything you ask me to rub," House replied, rolling Cuddy onto her stomach and helping her shrug off her shirt. House unhooked her bra and started massaging her back muscles, much to Cuddy's delight. "Sorry, I know you're probably sore too. I'll trade with you in a minute."

"Good," he replied. "My penis is _killing_ me." Cuddy laughed at his predictable, juvenile response. Cuddy found her eyelids getting heavy. "C-uddy," House sang in a whisper. "I don't mean to micro-manage, but I think you are doing things in a crazy order… unless you want me to have sex with you twice while you are not naked and asleep." Cuddy laughed and tried to rouse herself. "I know you're whipped," he continued, but I think you should eat something. You haven't eaten in seven hours. And you have to get naked so I can at least grope you while you sleep," he joked. Cuddy sat up.

"Okay, I'll have French toast. I'm gonna go wash my face," she said, climbing over House, stopping to kiss him long and slow, and then padding off to the bathroom.

House was just hanging up with room service when a perfectly breathtaking naked Cuddy came back into the room, slipping under the covers next to him. "You still kill me with that," House commented.

"With what?" she asked smiling.

"With your body," he replied, pulling back the covers to get under and have access. He started kissing her mouth, her chin, and down her neck. Cuddy pulled his shirt off and was running her hands along his back while one of his hands was working its way down her torso toward her sex. Cuddy felt his fingers gently graze her and she let a little noise escape her lips when there was a knock on the door. "That was fast," House said. "Hold that moan." He gave her a _promise I'll be back_ kiss and got up to get the food from the room service guy. When he opened the door, however, it was Wilson standing there.

"Aww, Wilson, man!" he complained. "Do I still need to put a sock on the doorknob?" he asked.

"What?" Wilson asked. "Oh… oh! Sorry!" He looked at his watch. "It's only 6 o'clock."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was before the designated fornication hour. Jet lag," House said with some irritation.

"I'll just talk to you later," Wilson said, starting to leave when the room service guy actually did show up.

"It's fine, Wilson," House relented. He noticed Wilson looked upset. "You want some food?" he asked, taking the room service tray from the guy.

"No, that's alright," Wilson replied hesitantly. "I don't wanna mess up, you know…"

"You already messed it up!" House replied bossily. "Oh! But actually, wait there for a minute."

House closed the door in Wilson's face and walked back into the room, tossing his discarded T shirt at her. "Put this on. Our parade rain is here." Cuddy put on House's shirt and wrapped the blankets around her, making a little nest. House handed her a covered plate of French toast that she immediately started eating. "I told you you were hungry," he said.

"I know, I know. You're right," she replied with her mouth full of French toast.

"You're also incredibly horny," House informed her. "Trust me." He walked to the door and let Wilson in. "Okay, Eeyore. What's bothering you?"

Wilson slumped into the room, looking upset and uncomfortable. "Hi, Cuddy," he said. "Sorry to bother you guys."

"It's fine, Wilson," Cuddy reassured him. "Are you okay?" Wilson sat on the edge of the other bed and took some fries from the plate House held out for him.

"I should be," he replied. "I'm overreacting."

"That's what you do, Wilson," House said, "Care to tell us something new?"

"You know that oncologist, Bauer?" he asked them.

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "Oh, God, yes," Cuddy said, again through a mouthful of French toast. Wilson looked at House.

"Yeah, she seems all hot at work, right?" he teased. "Then this is what I deal with at home." Cuddy wrinkled her nose at him.

Cuddy swallowed. "If it weren't for House," Cuddy continued, "That guy would be the biggest ass in the hospital." House leaned back, lifting the covers slightly and looked at Cuddy's ass, eyebrows raised. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Glass houses, babe. That's all I'm saying," House retorted. "Anyway, what about him, Wilson?"

"Well, he's been interested in my approach to working with the medical students. I have been working on this way of introducing them to the pharmacology of cancer treatments through a strategic ordering of the different manifestations -" House laid back and pretended to start snoring loudly. "Anyway," Wilson continued, taking the hint, "He acted like he wanted to try it with his students and has asked me for various documentations of the technique. When I got to the conference I was looking through the program and he's presenting my stuff!" Wilson exclaimed.

"Bastard!" Cuddy exclaimed. House looked at her.

"Oh, sorry. You're usually talking to me when you say that," he explained, cutting into her French toast with another fork to take a bite. She hit his hand with her fork.

Cuddy continued, "Wilson, I'm so sorry! Did you confront him about it?"

House snorted. "Wilson doesn't do confrontation," he explained. "He does passive pouting and hand-wringing instead." Wilson sighed, acknowledging that House was kind of right.

"Wilson, you have to say something," Cuddy encouraged.

"That's the thing," Wilson, said, "He's not going to care. He knows what he did. I was a fool for getting suckered into thinking the guy actually wanted to improve med student education."

"When's the presentation?" House asked.

"Tomorrow morning, first thing at 9am," Wilson answered, completely disheartened.

House looked at his watch. "That's over 14 hours from now," House explained. "That leaves plenty of time to destroy him."

"House, I don't expect you to do anything about this. I just wanted some sympathy," Wilson explained.

"Came to the wrong room for that," House explained. "You're an idiot and never should have trusted that prick." He continued. "_But_, I am excellent at derailing people's plans, so in that respect, sleep easy."

"House," Cuddy warned, "There's nothing that can be done now. What are you going to, drug the guy? Wilson can file an ethics complaint with the University and they can investigate. I'm sure it will become clear that it is Wilson's work."

"Yeah, meanwhile, everyone at this conference who hears him won't get notified of that," House argued.

"House," Wilson interrupted, "Seriously - Don't. Do. Anything. I just wanted to vent."

"Gotcha loud and clear, Wilson," House replied, giving him an exaggerated wink. Wilson sighed heavily, looking to Cuddy for support.

"Don't worry, Wilson. I'll distract him," she reassured.

"Your feminine wiles have no effect on me, She-devil!" House cried out at her. Cuddy just blinked at him, smirking. "Okay, they do."

"I'm gonna go get some actual food," Wilson said, standing up to leave. "I'm sorry for bothering you guys."

"It was no bother, Wilson!" Cuddy reassured. "We're just gonna eat and probably wander around the hotel."

"Yeah, Wilson," House said, scowling, "You didn't bother us at all." He practically dragged Wilson to the door. "Don't worry about Bauer," he told him. "We'll get him back." Wilson nodded and moped down the hall.

House put the "Do not disturb" sign on the door, closed it, then turned on his heel and flopped back onto the bed, practically on top of Cuddy. He picked up her empty plate to toss it on the floor. "Did you lick the frickin' plate, Cuddy?" She looked away, embarrassed. "Man," he responded. "Remind me to starve you again and then cover my body with French toast." She grinned at him and he started peeling his T-shirt off of her.

"Poor, Wilson," she sighed, while House started pushing her back into the bed, kissing her neck.

"Oh, yeah," House moaned in her ear, "I love thinking about Wilson during sex."

"I just feel bad for him," she continued. "He's always…" House was licking down her collarbone now. "…so kind…" He wrapped his mouth around one of her nipples. "…to everyone…" House's hand trailed down her body and pushed on one of her thighs. Cuddy sighed and it turned into a little moan.

"_You'll_ distract _me_," House mocked, moving to her other breast. Cuddy's hands found his head and she was tickling the hair at the back of his neck.

"It's reverse psychology," she murmured. "I let you think you're in control, but really, I'm running the show."

"I see," he replied, kissing down her stomach. "So what are you going to have me do next?" He kissed one hipbone, nuzzled her belly, kissed the other hipbone.

"Well, I think you would be most distracted if you were focused on giving me an outrageous orgasm," she quipped, her words almost slurred from the tension building up in her.

"Very wily, She-devil," House joked, gently pushing her legs apart.

"Mmm-hmm," she agreed. She felt House's mouth on her then and her hips rose involuntarily to meet him. His hands slid slowly up and down her thighs as he kissed and licked her. House loved that feeling – that little involuntary rise in her pelvis, like her body knew him. He circled his hands over her hips, feeling her soft skin. He moved them along behind her and held her exquisite ass. He kissed and nuzzled her, his hands reaching all over her body. He licked her thigh, ran his hands along her sides, nosed at her sex. Cuddy was squirming, getting anxious for a release. He focused his attention on her clit, gently kissing and sucking, then increasing his intensity. He'd bring her to the edge, when her body would start to tense and almost freeze, then he'd wander, roaming around her body, letting his mouth explore her, only to return to that spot and lead her there again.

Cuddy felt her core burning up with desire. She knew his little game and was enjoying hating every minute of it. He could make her want him so badly she didn't think of anything else, which was hard for a woman like her to do. She put her hands in his hair and tried to guide him, to hold him where she wanted him, as if it was direction he needed. She knew what he wanted, and she resisted for a while, just as he resisted giving her what she wanted. Two stubborn lovers, standing off.

He won. He always won. "House, please," she moaned. That was all it took. There were variations, of course, on word order or specificity. But his name and "please" was irresistible to him, some acknowledgement that she wanted _him_ to meet her need. It made him crazy and made him want to make her crazy. He pulled her hips tighter and focused. She felt his tongue on her, moving perfectly, his lips gently pulling at her. Her hands left his head and spread across the bed, gripping the sheets as she tensed. Suddenly she was there and she was exploding. Her hands went to her own hair, pulling at it in the chaos. Her legs wrapped around him and pulled him closer. He had one hand on her inner thigh, keeping her open, and the other on her stomach gently caressing her. She felt like she was flying or falling or both.

As she calmed herself, House, crawled up the bed and lay next to her, admiring her gorgeous body as he lightly tickled her skin. Her eyes were closed and he kissed each lid. Cuddy's eyes fluttered open and looked at him. "See how distracted you are?" she murmured. He smiled at her. She reached a hand up and pulled him closer, kissing him. He laughed softly and she looked at him.

"You taste like syrup," he told her.

"Well, be glad I love French toast and not sauerkraut or something grosser," she pointed out. He smiled.

"I'd still love to kiss you," he assured her, holding her face and leaning in to kiss her again. They lay there, side to side, kissing and groping. She undid his pants and helped him kick them down his legs, followed by his boxers. He moved on top of her, rolling her onto her back, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He kept kissing her, tasting her sweet mouth, feeling her warm breath against his lips. He found her entrance and pressed against her, waiting for her to show she was ready. Her legs pushed against his hips, pushing him forward, and he slid into her wet heat, groaning a little as she gasped. He lay there for a moment, just feeling the intensity of her mouth, of her sex, of her very being all around him. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky.

Cuddy felt House's kisses move down her body, landing on her breasts. His tongue would tease her nipples and she'd find herself so stimulated in every erogenous zone of her body, she couldn't even think about what to enjoy. It was like her whole body became one electrified nerve. He was moving in her now, deep and purposeful, finding the angle that would take her with him. His hand on the small of her back lifted her slightly and she suddenly felt every thrust in a new way. She started saying his name again and again, crazy with desire.

House kept his rhythm and watched her, thrilled by any chance to give her pleasure. He felt her tightness around him and as he moved he felt her respond. He was having a lot of trouble not just indulging his instincts, but taking his time and letting the tension build in both of them. Soon, though, when Cuddy let out a particularly erotic cry, it was too much. He started moving in her with increased speed and force, pushing up on his arms, closing his eyes, and losing himself in the sensation of entering her again and again and again. Cuddy was coming and saying his name and he was trying to calm himself, but the sound of her, the feel of her, and – when he finally couldn't resist and looked down at her breathless, gorgeous face – the look of her made it impossible to go anywhere but forward, into this feeling of complete and utter bliss. Her hand found his and they gripped each other tightly as they enjoyed the ride.

He lay next to her afterwards, listening to her falling asleep in his arms, still marveling at his good fortune. He wanted to stay there, against her warm body in the quiet room, but his mind was itching. One of the few other people in the world that he cared about was upset, and it was bothering him. So he stared at Cuddy's beauty while he hatched a plan.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

House waited until Cuddy was sleeping peacefully, then he quietly slunk out of the bed, dressed, and snuck out of the room. He wandered down to the lobby and approached the front desk.

"Hi!" he smiled at the attendant, putting on the friendly face that made him feel like his features were cracking a little from underuse of those muscles. "I'm here for the medical conference and just saw in the program that my old med school buddy is presenting tomorrow. I wanted to say hi and wish him luck. Any way you could tell me what room he's in?" he asked her, trying to be charming.

"Sure!" she said, smiling at him. "What's his last name?"

"Bauer," House replied. "Peter." The woman started typing into her computer.

"Dr. Bauer is in room 4002," she replied.

"Thanks bunches!" House said in a syrupy tone, limping over to the elevator.

When he made it to 4002, Bauer was just coming out of his room. "Peter!" House exclaimed, like they _were_ old friends. Bauer looked startled, then wary.

"House," he said. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to congratulate you on your paper presentation. Isn't it nice when hard work and dedication pay off like that?" House exclaimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Cut the crap, House," Bauer snapped. "I know you're here to defend your little sidekick, but I don't give a shit about either of you, so don't waste your time."

"So hostile, Peter," House tsked. "I'm just here to try to talk some sense into you."

"What are you going to do, House?" he asked. "Some childish prank, I suppose, and then go hide in Cuddy's skirt."

House blinked at him. "It's obviously been a while for you, Peter. Hidings not generally what you do when you're in a woman's skirt. But since you seem to be pretty aggressive about this issue, I guess I'll have to be too."

"Are you threatening me, House?" Bauer asked, laughing a little. "Cuz I'm pretty sure I can handle myself with a cripple."

House narrowed his eyes at him. This guy _was_ an ass. "You sure about that, Bauer? I got a big stick." Bauer looked at him, trying to read him. "Don't worry, dude. I'm not a bully. But I am an evil genius, so you might want to reconsider what you're doing to Wilson."

"Look, House, I'm going down to the bar to unwind a little. You can come play mind games with me there if you insist, but I don't want to waste my evening standing in a hallway trading wisecracks with you." He strode confidently down the hall. "I'll race ya'!" he laughed, running in place in front of House. "But if I have a lady at my table," he called over his shoulder as he walked away, "Make yourself scarce."

House watched him walk down the hall and board the elevator. Then he pulled out his cell phone.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Wilson came into the hotel lobby and saw House chatting with two very attractive, but slightly sleazy-looking women. He stopped in his tracks and observed for a moment before approaching, seeing them laugh at something House said. "You get the idea…" he heard House confirm before he reached them and they both nodded. House saw Wilson. "Alright, scram, hotties."

"Wilson!" House exclaimed, putting his arm around him and leading him away. Wilson looked over his shoulder and saw the women enter the hotel bar.

"What's going on, House?" Wilson asked.

"Nothing! Just making conversation with some locals," he answered.

"Where's Cuddy?" Wilson pressed.

"Probably waking up right now and asking 'Where's House?'" He replied, pulling out his phone to send her a text so she could find him.

"Why aren't you with her?"

"Went to see Bauer," House answered. "Wanted to compare him to Cuddy's ass. I still think Cuddy's is bigger…" House insisted.

"House!" Wilson hissed, stopping and grabbing his arm, "What did you say?"

"Nothing much," House explained, pulling away from Wilson and sitting on a lobby couch, propping his feet on the coffee table. "Basically I called him a douchbag, he called me a gimp, and that was the end of it." Wilson looked relieved. He sat down on a chair.

"Well, thanks," Wilson said, "For standing up for me. And for not making it worse."

"Me? Exaccerbate a situation? Wilson, do you know me at all?" House asked, faking incredulousness. Wilson rolled his eyes.

Then House saw Cuddy get off the elevator. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, her hair was in a ponytail. She was lovely. House wolf-whistled while she scanned the lobby looking for him. "Hey, sexy. What you doin' tonight?" She smiled and came over. She flopped next to House and put her head on his shoulder.

"Feeling any better, Wilson?" Cuddy asked with a sad face.

"Yeah, it's fine." Wilson said. "I'll just file a complaint, like you said. But I _am_ going to go to that presentation and sit front and center," Wilson said with conviction, "Just to make him have to face me."

"That's almost a confrontation!" House commended him. "I'll go with you."

"It's at 9 in the morning," Wilson replied, skeptical of his promise.

"I'll be there, Wilson," House assured.

Just then they saw Bauer walking out the lobby doors with the two women House had been chatting with, their arms hooked through his and a smug smile on his face. "Great!" Wilson complained. "Now he's going to be all sexually smug _and _stealing my work tomorrow."

House looked over at Cuddy. "Why do you look so sexually smug?" he asked her, smirking.

"House!" she scolded, embarrassed in front of Wilson.

"Weren't you just talking to those women?" Wilson asked. House sighed and rolled his eyes, giving Wilson a _C'mon, man!_ look.

Cuddy sat up. "Why were you talking to them?" she asked.

"They're hookers!" he cried. "Hookers love me! They're my demographic and they're all over this town cuz it's legal." Cuddy narrowed her eyes at him. "Hookers see a crabby guy with a cane and just assume he's into it." She continued evil-eyeing him. "Look, am I talking to them now? I sent them over to Bauer. Hopefully he'll get an STD." Wilson and Cuddy just stared at him. "While I'm pressing my luck, let's go gamble," he said, standing up.

They walked to the hotel casino and House put twenty dollars in a slot machine, sitting on the stool and pulling Cuddy against him while Wilson looked around, overwhelmed by it all as usual. "Wilson, will you go get me a beer since I defended your honor?"

Wilson agreed and asked Cuddy if she wanted anything, but she declined. She was pouting a little.

"Come on, lady luck, push my buttons," House said to her. Cuddy pushed the "spin" button on the slot machine, but didn't win. "Jinx!" House accused. She looked unamused. "Cuddy, I wasn't flirting with those women!" he protested. "They're accessories to my scheme." Now Cuddy perked up, wary and curious.

"What scheme?" she asked. "Is that why they left with Bauer?"

"Yeah," House explained. "They're going to make it so he's… incapacitated for his presentation tomorrow."

"How do you know they can do that?" she asked.

"Cuddy, men and hookers are Pavlovian," he replied. "They'll ring his bell."

"That's very awful of you," Cuddy said, "But also brilliant."

"Awful and brilliant – that's me. But you haven't heard the best part," House explained. She looked at him carefully. "I'm going to fill in for him and publically apologize to Wilson."

"House!" she scolded. "That's too far. You can't impersonate another doctor!" she warned.

"Come on, Cuddy," he argued. "It's perfect. It gives Wilson the credit and no one will ever know."

"Except everyone at our hospital!" she argued.

"Who else is even here? Like three others?" he argued back. "They probably won't even be at that session. It's for oncologists specifically."

"Well, I won't be there either," she protested. "Tell Wilson I something came up. I'm not gonna watch this blow up in your face."

"It won't! It'll be perfect," he insisted. "Come on, Cuddy," he pleaded, pulling her closer, nuzzling her neck. ""I'll be there avenging my friend, all ironed and important. You'll be in on it. It's very scheme-y. Don't you think that's sexy?" She looked at him, still not convinced.

"Fine," he relented, "But I'm doing it, whether you come or not. Now let's forget it and win some money. You gotta pay off those hookers I put on your credit card."


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

House met Wilson in the front row of the presentation room the next morning, well before it was scheduled to start. House was kind-of dressed up. He had come to Wilson's room the night before to borrow a tie and he looked more ironed than usual. "Wow, House, what's the occasion?" Wilson asked him.

"My lady friend is giving an important presentation today," House explained. "Gotta look like I might possibly deserve her." They just flipped through the program, people watched and waited.

"I haven't even seen Bauer yet," Wilson noted when it was approaching 9. "He's probably planning some grand entrance," Wilson snarked.

Then the emcee approached the podium and welcomed everyone. "We are so honored to have our speaker from the Princeton Plainsboro teaching hospital here today to discuss an issue that really exemplifies the kinds of issues conferences like this are supposed to address: The intersection between education of our future doctors and the treatment options for our patients. We'd like to extend a warm welcome to Dr. Peter Bauer." People began politely clapping and House stood up and limped up to the podium. Wilson was shocked and kind-of freaking out. What the hell was he doing?

"Good morning, colleagues," House said in a very professional tone, one Wilson had never heard before. "I'd like to thank you all for coming and I'd like to second the introductory remarks by emphasizing that topics like this are of great importance to anyone practicing in a teaching hospital." Wilson started scanning the room. Bauer was nowhere in sight. House saw Cuddy enter the doors at the back and lean against the wall. She was stunning, as always, in a tight knee-length skirt and crisp white shirt.

"Now I know why you're all here," House began. "Who can resist a catchy title like, _Designing a scope and sequence for medical student oncology rotations framed around pharmacological interventions_," House read haltingly off the program. People laughed a little. "It's so sexy," he said, meeting Cuddy's eyes and winking quickly. "But that's just the problem. It was such an appealing subject that I was led astray by my own ambition. I am standing here now, and realizing that I have to correct my mistakes." The audience started shifting uncomfortably a little - Wilson most of all.

"We all do it – collaborate with colleagues and then write up the work listing ourselves as first author and the others after us. It gives us the credit," House continued. "But I went too far. You see, I really didn't do this work," he confessed. A little gasp rustled through the presentation room. "I worked closely with Dr. James Wilson, my colleague at PPH, and then I submitted his work as my own." The room was positively buzzing now. "And as I waited here to be introduced, I realized I can't even speak intelligently about the work because it isn't mine, so I'd like to hand the podium over to the man who really is responsible for it, Dr. James Wilson." Everyone waited, almost frozen.

"Wilson," House beckoned. Wilson was stunned in his seat. "Wilson!" House hissed, gesturing for him to get the hell up there. Wilson stood up hesitantly and walked to the podium. People applauded awkwardly.

"Um, hello," he began, totally panicking. "Um, sorry, this was most unexpected." People laughed a little. "Okay, so…" he took a deep breath, "The motivation behind this project was the idea that medical students are inundated with information, especially when it comes to the range of varieties and treatments of cancer…" He was off and running now. House walked to the back of the room and leaned next to Cuddy.

"Thought you weren't coming," he whispered.

"I'm no match for your masculine wiles, He-devil," she whispered back, listening to Wilson present. "He looks really happy," she added, rubbing House's arm.

"I don't know what he'd do without me," House sighed.

"Yeah," Cuddy whispered back. "Definitely not the other way around."

House looked at her. "Don't know what _you'd_ do without me either," he said, sweetly carrying on the joke. He gave her a small kiss on her head.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

House went to Cuddy's presentation, then wandered the hotel and returned to the room while she attended other segments. House tried his best to get her to play hookie, but she wanted to make the most of the conference. Plus, she and House had tagged a couple more days onto the trip, so they could make the most of Vegas. When she came back that evening House was soaking in the giant bathtub, playing his handheld videogame.

"Hey!" he said. "I won 200 bucks! We're going out for an expensive dinner."

"Really?" She asked. "Playing what?"

"Not really," he said. "I lost 100 and have been soaking in here for too long, waiting for you to come back and join me. But now I'm pruned. We can still go to an expensive dinner though. My boss pays me a lot of money."

Cuddy laughed and House tossed his video game aside. "How was the rest of it?" he asked.

"Pretty useless," she admitted.

"Told you," he reminded her. "You run the best teaching hospital there is, so you don't actually get to learn anything from these people. They just learn from your brilliance. It's very frustrating being the best – I know."

"How do you think I did?" she asked.

"Perfect! As always," he answered.

"Do you think my point about the benefits of a cohort structure was clear enough?" she asked. House looked at her and blinked.

"Did you even pay attention, House?" she asked.

"I tried!" he said, "But when the lights were on you I could sort of see your bra through your shirt and then I couldn't concentrate!"

"What? You could?" she cried. "Oh my God, that's so embarrassing! Why didn't you do something?"

"It wasn't a _bad_ thing, Cuddy," he explained. "You had everyone's rapt attention. And anyway, what could I do?" Cuddy sat on the side of the tub, mulling over her whole presentation again. She kicked off her shoes and starting pulling her thigh highs down her legs. House just watched her. She glanced over at him. "See? Rapt," he said, never looking up from her legs. "Get in here with me," he pleaded.

"You know you're going to have to deal with Bauer when we get home," she cautioned. She was in her daily routine of reviewing the day's events mentally as she switched into "home" mode. She was unzipping her skirt now and sliding it off.

"Bauer's not a problem," House assured her. "Come on, get in," he nagged.

"You don't think so, but sometimes you mess with the wrong people, House," she insisted, unbuttoning her shirt.

"I can't even hear what you're saying, Cuddy," House said, staring at her body slowly being revealed as she shrugged her shirt off. "Come here!"

"I thought you're getting prune-y," she reminded him, unhooking her bra and letting it drop to the floor.

"Just my toes," he said, staring at her breasts. "My fingers have been on my video game. Get in, get in, get in!"

"Who says I want prune toes all over me?" she asked, sliding her panties down her legs.

"Scratch prune," he replied, "Dried plums. More appetizing. Now come _on_, Cuddy. I'll leave my fuckin' toes on the edge if it gets you in this tub!"

Cuddy stepped over the ledge and sat down in the massive tub, leaning against the other wall and facing House, smiling seductively. She slunk down and dunked her head under water, then came back to the surface, sweeping her wet hair back off her face. He just watched her. Everything she did – every sentence, every gesture, every smile – was just completely flawless. "You were great today," he told her. "I comprehended some of it despite having an erection. And it was good."

She cracked up. "You should write reviews!" she suggested.

House found her foot under the water and started rubbing it. "Did you see Wilson? Was he okay?"

"He's a little terrified of Bauer, but I assured him that he would have his sights set on you," she explained. House nodded. "I think he's really happy actually," she added. "I think he's really proud of that work and it was killing him that someone else – an ass at that – was going to present it. You done good, Dr. House." She crawled across the tub and straddled him, a drop of water falling from the tip of her nose onto his. He wrapped his arms around her. She could feel him below her, already totally ready to go. "You guys are so weird," she commented, moving her pelvis over him a little. "You have this big obvious thing happen when you want sex."

"And you don't?" he asked. One of his hands moved down her side to her entrance. "You're soaking wet, Cuddy," he accused, kissing her lips lightly.

"Funny, that happens when one is submerged in water," she observed, leaning her head back while he kissed from her chin down her neck.

"And to horny women being felt up by their boy-toys," he mumbled, kissing her chest and moving his hands to her hips.

Cuddy felt the hot water on her legs, his hot mouth alternating between her lips and her neck, and his wet hands sliding up and down her back. She could feel his breath getting heavy as she slid her body near his, his hands more insistently pulling her against him. His fingers grazed over her slit, opening her. His mouth was everywhere – tugging at her lips, kissing her chin, licking her shoulder. She lifted herself up and as she lowered herself onto him she felt his warm breath come out in a satisfied sigh against the hollow of her neck. His hands were in her wet hair now, his thumbs running back and forth over her cheeks while they kissed. The kisses were slow and wet and insistent.

Cuddy's body felt so good around him. Her legs pressed firmly against his hips, her arms draped lazily around his neck, her lips and neck against his mouth. He felt every point of contact to his core. As she moved on top of him, her tightness sliding around him, he could hear his pulse in his head and his breath alternating between rapid and passionate and being held in with tension. She pressed her forehead against his and drops from her wet hair slid down the side of his face. Every tiny moan she released echoed off the tiled walls, driving him crazy with wanting for her.

"Cuddy," he whispered, involuntarily verbalizing the fixation of his mind. Her hands moved to his shoulders, bracing herself as she began riding him faster. He put his hands on her pelvis and leaned his head back against the tile, trying to just lose himself in the sensation. He moved his thumb over her clit as he gripped her hips.

"House, look at me," she told him. He opened his eyes and met hers, as clear and deep and blue as any ocean. He felt hypnotized. Cuddy was right there on the edge and he felt her core tightening around him. She was looking at him, her pupils dilated, her mouth slightly open, her wet hair clinging to her shoulders. He sucked in his breath, feeling his own rising peak. He saw her bite her lip, her eyes starting to squint shut. Her hands moved from his shoulders to the side of the tub. Water was sloshing around and the steam was making them both a little light-headed in their passion. He rose up to meet her downward pushes and in moments they were both overtaken with their simultaneous orgasms, the sound of every appreciative word and frenzied breath filling their ears as they ricocheted off the walls.

She collapsed against him, her hair clinging to his bare chest that was rising and falling, gradually slowing. He lifted little cupfuls of water in one hand and let them pour down her back.

"You're a good friend," Cuddy murmured against him.

"Are you breaking up with me?" he joked.

"I just think you deserve your recognition too," she said.

"Thanks," he said, kissing her head.

"Let's order room service again and watch tv," she suggested, standing up and stepping out of the tub. "Then I'll recognize you again in the other bed." She handed him a towel.

"I think this is the first time you've ever rewarded me with sex for a scheme like this," he observed.

"This was for Wilson," she explained.

"The sex was for Wilson?" he protested. "Cuz I'm not passing that along, Cuddy." She sighed.

"You're annoying," she informed him.

"That's just my masculine wiles," he explained.


End file.
